Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-03-18

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-03-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-03-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 18

● Final27 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Mar 11Mar 18Mar 25 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

135 head

▼ 270 vs last sale 405▲ 135 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

112 head

▲ 7 vs last sale 105▲ 112 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

35 head

▼ 118 vs last sale 153▲ 35 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME positions continue to slide lower with significant losses seen since last week. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers continue to be aggressive as they purchased the majority of the cow offering for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 5.00-6.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows were not tested this week as all middle age and aged cows were destined for slaughter. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold generally steady. Quality was plain to average.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $144.59/cwt on 64 head.

Average price

$144.59

64 head · 445 lb average

Value per head Derived

$644

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$96

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2

$25.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.12

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	444	146.59	651	59
Medium and Large 2	459	121.00	555	5thin

One grade step is worth $25.59/cwt here — about $96 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale64 hd

144.59

—

MT average3 barns · 1,177 hd

143.47

+1.12

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	High	1,826	86.14	1,573	14
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,651	66.11	1,092	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,372	63.31	869	42
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,805	63.24	1,142	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,194	60.35	720	32

Every lot

27 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers3 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	377	170.07/cwt	169.00–171.00	641	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	447	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	724	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	533	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	815	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	345	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	526	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	376	149.80/cwt	145.00–153.00	563	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	459	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	555	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	481	145.56/cwt	140.50–149.00	700	31
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	583	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	781	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,027	90.98/cwt	90.00–93.00	934	3
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,115	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,015	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,713	84.44/cwt	80.00–89.00	1,446	11
Bulls	—	—	2,240	92.36/cwt	91.00–93.00	2,069	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	855	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	402	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	945	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	520	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,182	58.16/cwt	52.00–61.00	687	12
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,225	49.00/cwt	49.00–49.00	600	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,230	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	836	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,235	63.40/cwt	62.00–64.00	783	16
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,310	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	891	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,374	63.20/cwt	60.00–66.00	868	41
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,590	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	986	1
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,652	66.25/cwt	66.25–66.25	1,094	5
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,710	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,188	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,780	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	1,024	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,808	63.81/cwt	62.50–65.00	1,154	10
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,009	82.18/cwt	77.00–92.50	829	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,131	67.94/cwt	60.00–76.00	768	6

This sale against other markets

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Wed Mar 18, 2020

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 135Last week 405Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 112Last week 105Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 35Last week 153Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,027	90.00–93.00	90.98
2	—	1,115	91.00	91.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	481	140.50–149.00	145.56
2	—	345	152.50	152.50
4	—	583	134.00	134.00
22	—	376	145.00–153.00	149.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	459	121.00	121.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	533	153.00	153.00
10	—	447	162.00	162.00
16	—	377	169.00–171.00	170.07

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,240	91.00–93.00	92.36
11	—	1,713	80.00–89.00	84.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,310	68.00	68.00
41	—	1,374	60.00–66.00	63.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,230	68.00	68.00
12	—	1,182	52.00–61.00	58.16
16	—	1,235	62.00–64.00	63.40
1	—	1,225	49.00	49.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,780	57.50	57.50
10	—	1,808	62.50–65.00	63.81

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,590	62.00	62.00
1	—	1,710	69.50	69.50
5	—	1,652	66.25	66.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	945	55.00	55.00
1	—	855	47.00	47.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,131	60.00–76.00	67.94
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,009	77.00–92.50	82.18

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.